Who is the man who has become the symbol of Ukraine's resistance to seemingly overwhelming Russia?
A new biography is dedicated to Volodymyr Zelenskyj.
We publish first excerpts.
Kyiv – “I need ammo, not a ride”.
With these words, on the morning of February 24, Volodymyr Zelenskyy rejected the United States' offer of evacuation.
Since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, the Ukrainian president has represented resistance against Russia like no other.
But who is this man who developed from a comedian to an opponent of Putin?
Several biographies are now devoted to this question, including the book “Selenskyj” by the Polish author Wojciech Rogacin, which was published by Europa Verlag on July 6, 2022.
The journalist Rogacin has been reporting on the countries of the former Soviet Union for over 20 years and became aware of the politician Volodymyr Zelenskyj early on.
For his research, Rogacin spoke to former classmates, companions, journalists, but also critics of Selenskyj, as he describes in an interview with
Merkur.de
from
IPPEN.MEDIA
.
It is clear from the book that Rogacin is an admirer of the Ukrainian president.
Rogacin's attitude and his first thesis quickly become clear: Volodymyr Zelenskyj was born a leader.
After his election as President of Ukraine, the world and Russian President Vladimir Putin assumed that a weak and inexperienced man would henceforth hold the highest office.
This is the second thesis of the book: Putin underestimated Zelenskyj and assumed that a Russian attack would meet with little resistance.
Instead, however, Selenskyj turned out to be resilient and developed into an outstanding head of state against whom future personalities will be measured, according to the third thesis.
IPPEN.MEDIA 's
Merkur.de
publishes excerpts from Volodymyr Selenskyj's biography
.
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Merkur.de from IPPEN.MEDIA publishes excerpts from the biography "Selenskyj".
The Ukrainian president has become a hero to many people since the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war.
© afp/Ukrainian Pressidency
Volodymyr Zelenskyy: Biography of the President of Ukraine - childhood and youth
Zelenskyi was born on January 25, 1978 in the industrial city of Kryvyi Rih and grew up in a Russian-speaking Jewish family.
His father is a mathematician and was a professor of cybernetics, his mother an engineer.
If you believe the author, Zelenskyj's will to fight was already evident in his childhood and youth.
The settlement and the atmosphere there taught young Zelenskyy that sometimes you have to give in and sometimes you have to fight, even if you lose pocket money or money for training, but he knew how to fight back. His hands were repeatedly thrown open, but all, he recalls, in the name of justice. "When I get into a fight, I don't run away. I can lose if I have to, but I don't run away in the middle. no The white flag is not my flag!” Zelenskyy said in the memorable interview.
During his school days, Volodymyr Selenskyj attracted attention.
Author Wojciech Rogacin paints the picture of a boy who enjoyed being the center of attention but always stood up for his peers.
When they were in the ninth grade, the literature teacher suggested that the students perform Gogol's play The Marriage. Zelenskyj played the role of Ivan Yaichnitsa. "It was a supporting role, but after the performance he got the flowers," recalled Valentyna Ignatienko on Barbara Wlodarczyk's program. "He wanted it and he was always the center of attention." For his friends who observed Volodya's artistic commitment at school, it was always clear: he will end up on the stage!
Servant of the people: Zelenskyj works as a comedian, actor and plays important roles
After graduating from high school, Selenskyj studied law, but was not to work a single day in this profession.
Instead, he devoted himself to art, working as a comedian, actor, screenwriter, and film producer.
And of course he played the role that paved his way into Ukrainian politics: a history teacher who surprisingly becomes president.
The series "Servant of the People" undoubtedly marks a turning point in the life and career of Volodymyr Zelenskyj. While continuing to engage in art and entertainment, Zelenskyi began to transform himself into a player on the Ukrainian political scene. He himself has repeatedly denied that the series was connected with the idea of a future candidacy in the presidential election or even entering politics. But even after watching the first few episodes, one gets the impression that this isn't just about satirizing politicians and showing an alternative reality - what Ukraine might be like if it were ruled by a good president - but also about the presentation of a political program.
About the author Wojciech Rogacin
Polish journalist Wojciech Rogacin focuses on the countries of the former Soviet Union, the USA and the Middle East.
During the Iraq war (2003 to 2004) he worked as a correspondent for the US news portal
Newsweek
.
Rogacin is co-founder and editor-in-chief of the daily newspaper
Polska Times
and in this role is responsible for the cooperation with the British
The Times
.
He also co-founded the press agency Polska Press, teaches journalism at the SWPS University in Warsaw and is co-author of the book Korespondenci.pl (Korrespondenten.pl), which deals with Polish war reporters.
Ukraine: Zelenskyy's candidacy for Ukrainian President - from comedian to statesman
The success of "Diener des Volkes" (to be found with German subtitles in the
Arte
media library) was followed by the announcement of Zelenskyj's presidential candidacy - effective publicity on New Year's Eve 2018, as author Rogacin describes it.
He doesn't speak like a great dignitary, but like a good acquaintance, he's not wearing a suit but a white shirt with the sleeves rolled up: "Dear friends, in a few minutes we'll welcome the New Year and you'll see the continuation of the 'Kwartal in the evening “. But now I want to tell you something about myself, in all sincerity, as Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Today, each of us in Ukraine has three paths to choose from. The first: live the way you live, take care of everyday things - and that's normal. The second: pack your suitcase and go abroad to earn money and send it to loved ones. That's normal too. But there is also a third way: try to change something in Ukraine yourself. And that's the path I chose for myself. I've been asked for a long time: "Are you running for office? You're not running?” I didn't want to be like our politicians, making promises and not keeping my word. So now, a few minutes before the New Year, I'm going to promise you something and I'll do it right away. Dear Ukrainians, I promise you that I am running for President of Ukraine. And I immediately fulfill my promise: I am running for President of Ukraine. I'm standing for election. Come on, let's do this together! To the new year. To the new servant of the people.” I am running for President of Ukraine. I'm standing for election. Come on, let's do this together! To the new year. To the new servant of the people.” I am running for President of Ukraine. I'm standing for election. Come on, let's do this together! To the new year. To the new servant of the people.”
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The series "Servants of the People" laid the foundation for Volodymyr Zelenskyy's political career.
It is available with German subtitles in the Arte media library.
© dpa/Arte
In fact, Zelenskyy managed the coup.
The newcomer started his presidency in May 2019 with euphoria.
However, according to Rogacin, it quickly became apparent that even Zelenskyy could not bring about changes in Ukraine overnight.
Meanwhile, in the United States, his name first became known to a broad public - through the then US President Donald Trump and the so-called "Ukraine Affair".
The incident damaged Zelenskyy's image.
Zelenskyi was furious. Not because of the American President, but because the Trump administration published the minutes of the hour-and-a-half conversation. The conversation had not only discussed the matter of Biden's son, but also the lack of adequate support from Germany and France for Ukraine in relation to the Donbass and the Russian attack in the east. The publication of the conversation complicated Ukraine's international situation and could have an impact on future relations with the United States. During Zelenskyy's visit to Washington in September after the affair unfolded, cameras captured a telling scene at the two presidents' press conference. Trump turns to Zelenskyy: "I hope You meet with Putin and you solve your problem. That would be a great success. I know that you are trying to achieve that.” Selenskyj's reluctance is clear to see. He doesn't turn his face to Trump at all. It seems like he doesn't even listen to him.
Zelenskyj's approval in the population is shrinking - and his connection to oligarchs is damaging
According to the biographer, Volodymyr Zelenskyy landed on the hard ground of politics.
His approval among the population began to dwindle - and the restrictions imposed by the corona pandemic did not help to calm the mood.
“The second year of the presidency was more disappointing because the expectations towards Zelenskyy and the government were higher. They were expected to be able to do something, to act, and the pragmatism of governing differed. He had won the election with 73 percent of the vote, but now the numbers have fallen below 30 percent. He was still number one among the potential candidates, but the enthusiasm had obviously evaporated,” said Aleksander Kwásniewski (editor's note: Poland's President from 1995-2005) assessing the situation.
In the course of his political career, Volodymyr Zelenskyy was repeatedly confronted with accusations that his patron, oligarch Ihor Kolomoyskyy, was exerting influence.
According to Rogacin, Ukraine's president pushed through the anti-oligarch law to boost his popularity ratings.
But the biography remains vague at this point.
In this way, Zelenskyy wanted to prove that he fulfilled the essential point of the program with which he ran for election. Perhaps he also wanted to end the ongoing speculation about his connections to the oligarch Ihor Kolomojsjyj. Contrary to what Zelenskyi and Kolomoiskyi themselves repeatedly claimed, the prevailing opinion in the media in Ukraine was that Zelenskyi owed his career to him.
Nevertheless: Rogacin certainly allows other critical voices to have their say, such as that of a former employee of Zelenskyj.
"He's an idealist, he means well for Ukraine, but sometimes he gets terribly bogged down by listening to his advisors. If he doesn't have his own opinion or competence on something, he tends to adopt the views that sound attractive to him, seem modern to him, which doesn't mean they are realistic to guide? "Any politician can do that," Razumkov replied. “Especially under such difficult conditions as today in Ukraine. And he is also convinced that he and his group are right and does not accept criticism. His employees consider others who are not part of "Team Se" to be uninterested in the development of Ukraine, the defense of the country. Unfortunately, they have a tendency to shut out adversaries,"
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Ukraine War: Russia's invasion and Zelenskyy's transformation into a war hero
The Russian attack on Ukraine marked a second, even more decisive turning point in Zelenskyj's life.
Shortly before the war began, Volodymyr Zelenskyy took part in the security conference in Munich on February 19.
He used the speech he gave to the other heads of state to make an appeal to the world.
“Support the changes in our country. Decide on a stability and reconstruction fund for Ukraine, a lend-lease program, the delivery of the most modern weapons, machines and equipment for our army - an army that defends all of Europe. And now the most important thing: it's about three girls from Kyiv. One is ten years old, the second six and the third just a year. Today they lost their father. At six o'clock in the morning Central European Time, when the officer of the Ukrainian secret service, Captain Anton Sydorov died as a result of artillery fire - which is forbidden by the Minsk agreements. I don't know what he was thinking about in the last moment of his life. He certainly did not know what requirements must be met to end the war. But he knew the answer to the question which I asked at the beginning. He knew which of us was lying."
Five days later, the first rockets hit the Ukrainian capital.
The Russian attack had begun.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy swapped his shirt for the green T-shirt that has become his signature and has since refused to leave the country.
"According to information we have, the enemy has made me target number one and my family target number two. They want to destroy Ukraine politically by removing the head of state.” He also posted a short video on social media, taken on Bankova Street, right in front of the building housing the seat of the President of Ukraine. He appeared there with his closest associates: Davyd Arakhamiya, the faction leader of the Servant of the People party, Andriy Yermak, the head of the Presidential Office, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal and his adviser Mykhailo Podoliak. They all wore olive-colored shirts. Zelenskyi said: “The party leader – is here. The chief of the presidential office - is here. Prime Minister Shmyhal - is here. Podoliak – is here. The President - is here. we are all here Our military are here, our organs are here. we are all here We defend our independence, our state. And that's how it will stay. Long live our defenders. Slava Ukrayini!”
Ukraine war: Volodymyr Zelenskyj encourages the population and gives big speeches
In the escalating Ukraine conflict, Selenskyj encourages the Ukrainians in video messages every day and swings high-profile war speeches.
Comparisons with former great statesmen such as Winston Churchill quickly spread.
His biographer Wojciech Rogacin comes to the following conclusion at the end of his book.
With his attitude, especially during the war, he made his own name. The war in Ukraine and the role it plays in it will be discussed for years to come. The story of the young man from the provincial town of Kryvyi Rih, who faced an unimaginably difficult task, is still being written. But regardless of how his stance is evaluated in the future, when new world figures are once again compared to previous great heads of state, the name "Zelensky" will be among them.
About the book: “Zelenskyj. The Biography", Wojciech Rogacin, Europa Verlag, published on July 6, 2022, 20 euros.